To Stop Fighting
by AvatarPipTook
Summary: The sequel to To Keep Fighting. After four years of not speaking, Katara has been asked to do a favor for Zuko about Kyoshi Island. Who are these lighthaired men, and what's their part in the killing of the Northern Water Tribe? Some drug related themes.
1. Today is Going to be Different

**Author's Note: This is the sequel to _To Keep Fighting_. I started the first one before the Serpeant's Pass episode, so I'm still going off of that episode when I started the story.** **I don't own Avatar. If I did it wouldn't be a good kids show.**

Hiro was always loud after coming back from school. This was always the worst part of the day because I'd spend the rest of the day listening to what they did during the day. Of course it was always interesting the first time, but the seven year old would keep talking about the same things until either food entered his mouth or his friends, Nao and Taj, come over and they'd play for hours around the small wooded hills behind our little house. Today though, was going to be different.

Earlier I had bought a board and some paints for making a board game. I remembered a game that Azula played with her friends once in a blue moon, no pun intended. Although I never played against Mai and Ty Lee, Azula was bored and taught me how to play just so she could beat someone else. Just like everything else she taught me, it was to prove how better the Fire Nation was, but that's all over with.

I brought home the wood pieces and found my old sword to cut the pieces into their proper forms. It wasn't easy with a sword, but it was the only sharp object in the house. I would have used waterbending, but I decided to do something different for a change. It took most of the day before I decided to use waterbending. Whittling wood is harder and slower than I thought.

Then I got paint on my robe. I cleaned it off and went to find another olive green robe.

When it was done, I begged the ocean and moon spirits that it would work in quieting my nephew. The best part is that it started raining, so Hiro's friends would stay home. Those kids were really loud; seriously. I don't hate them, but I don't remember Sokka and me as loud as kids.

"Aunt Katara, guess what we did today?" Hiro came running in slamming the door, soaked.

"You're getting my rugs wet." I yelled.

"Oh yeah, sorry." He opened the door and waterbended it off.

Hiro continued in the door carrying his books and lunch box that he made his first day of school. He had his hair up in a top knot instead of the wolf's tail he loved two years ago. We live outside of a town with the Fire Nation style and people. Although the war's been over for four years, they still haven't gotten over it, and Hiro was convinced by friends to wear his hair that way.

"So what did you do today?" I asked, knowing what was about to happen.

Hiro opened his mouth and I swear a river of words came out.

"We learned our adding and take away numbers today." He started, "Then we went out to the river and looked at rocks. Rock are boring Aunty Katara. They don't do anything but sit there. Then an earthbender decided to throw one, and hit Mrs. Chong in the head. She was really mad at him. Then we played in the water. That was my favorite part. Then we learned about our take away numbers and…"

"You talked about subtraction already." I said, stopping him.

"Oh yeah. What's subtraction?"

"Take away numbers."

"That's a big word." He laughed.

"Hey, I found a game if you want to learn how to play tonight." I sort of nonchalantly added.

"Really? Does it include the boomerang you gave me?"

"No, not really."

"Oh, well I just want to go throw the boomerang tonight." Hiro said running to his room.

I pouted; so much for the bonding I was trying to get. I slaved over this idea all day and he just wants to throw his boomerang. Sokka would be proud that his boy plays with weapons all day instead of playing board games with his aunt. So what does a twenty-three year old unmarried woman do when rejected by her nephew? She drinks lots of rice wine. Lots. It's a horrible hobby of mine that I picked up with the townsfolk from festivals, but I feel better afterward and not so much in the morning.

The next day Hiro went back to school. I woke up with the usual headache. The lights were too bright for a house with few windows. I got up anyways to meet with a friend.

My friend Nattawan met me outside the town's teahouse. Nattawan was about my age, taller than I am, and born on Kyoshi Island. When the war was over, she moved out of the city and headed northwest to this new town. We bumped into each other and she recognized me from the last visit I took with Sokka.

"You're trying to teach your brother's son a Fire Nation game?" she asked with a puzzled face.

"Why not? He's just like Sokka, just more into Fire Nation culture, and he ignores what I have to say. Besides the Fire Nation's not a nation anymore and he needs to learn about the other cultures." I defended myself.

"By other cultures, do you mean the Earth Kingdom's?"

I frowned, "Yeah."

She laughed at me, and drank her tea. She laughed again before continuing, "You're not going to get over that, are you?"

"No. It would be a miracle to find other tribesmen from the poles."

"You have to get over that, but I got a letter from Suki. I thought you'd like to read it later when trying to teach Sokka's son a game doesn't work again." She laughed at me some more.

"Thanks." I said sarcastically, "Am I that pathetic?"

"Yes you are and have been since we bumped into each other here."

We continued to talk for another hour, before meeting Hiro at home.

When he came home, he went over what he did during the day and I brought up the game again. He told me that he was meeting Nao and Taj at the fishing hole, I packed the game up and stuffed under my bed. Then I found the letter and read it.

_Dear Nattawan,_

_I'm glad that you sent me the letter that Katara wrote about getting Sokka and Kirma's things, but I have even better news. I found him south of the village in a cave after returning from guard duty in Gaoling. He looks horrible from the burns, and he's got quite the poppy seed addiction but he's alive. Don't let Katara come here though. He's not here, and he isn't very happy. __Make sure Katara knows about this. She might have a visitor asking about Hiro._

_Suki_

"He's alive?" I made a mental note about the visitor.

Then there was a knock on the door. I walked over there slowly hoping to the spirits that it wasn't who Suki was talking about.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"A messager from the King and Queen in Ba Sing Se."

I opened the door, sighing with some relieve.

"What do they want?" I asked puzzled as to why Zuko and Toph would send me something.

"The King is asking to meet with you on an important matter. We have a wagon for you and your son if you'd come wth me."

"It'll take a while. I have to find him first." I said, ignoring the fact that I have no son.

"We can pick him up in town." he seemed in a hurry.

"Fine. Let me get my things."

I ran to my room and packing clothing, my water pouch, and that damn sword. The letter from Suki was also in my belt. The I moved to Hiro's room to pack his clothing.

It didn't take long to find the fishing hole. Hiro asked me about what's going on, and I could only say that we are needed my the King. Hiro yawned, and went to sleep. I would have too, but all I could think about was what could Zuko possibly want with me, and Sokka. It was going to be a long trip. Today was different.

**Sokka: What? I'm not a creep. Watch it, I have a sword and I know how it use it. Oh fudge, just review for Der. She's lost her mind.**


	2. Men From Another World

**Here's the next chapter. I own Avatar not!**

The next few days were long and tiresome. Hiro complained when he didn't sleep and my back was getting sore from sitting. The messenger only stopped when we needed to eat or fix a wheel.

"We're taking ten." He said after stopping the wagon.

Why couldn't Zuko have sent something better? That evil bastard.

"Where are we?" Hiro asked.

"We're a half a day away from Ba Sing Se. This road here leading up the hill belongs to the Serpent's Pass. We're not going that way."

I didn't blame him. The pass went through small but steep hills. The wagon wouldn't be able to get through there.

Ba Sing Se had gone though some changes since I've last been here. The green and gold roofs were replaced with blue and silver. Dirt roads were replaced by little stones placed perfectly in rows. The palace was new with having architecture that didn't seem familiar at all. It was a bunch of rocks stacked and seemed almost like they were glued together. I didn't really think about it much, but then a tall man came to the wagon. He seemed like everyone else, but his hair was golden, and his eyes were a lighter shade of blue than mine. He didn't have his hair pulled in a top knot like most men but losse around his shoulders, and his clothes weren't made from silk. They were tight at his legs and torso, but almost puffy at his chest and arms. There was also a collar-ish thing around his neck. But his name was the thing that caught my attention.

"I'm guessing you are Katara, the King's friend." His accent was strong and stuck out like the wagon in the palace.

"I'm Leonard," he introduced himself, "And this is my captain, Cyrus. He'll show you and your nephew to your rooms. The King and Queen will meet with you shortly."

"Let me get your things." Cyrus said.

He was taller than Leonard, with reddish hair. Sideburns covered his cheeks that connected to a moustache. He was more handsome than Leonard and couldn't be much older than Zuko.

I kept my mouth shut until we reach the room. Hiro was asking lot of questions as he normally would. Cyrus answered as best he could, for he wasn't very fluent in our language like Leonard was. He was constantly cursing in his language when he couldn't remember a word. All I could think of was how there was another country in the world. It made no sense. This was one question Zuko will have to answer.

"Aunt Katara, why does he have red hair?" Hiro asked.

I was busy watching the man walk away.

"Aunty Katara has a crush." Hiro teased.

I did hear that one, "I do not."

"Then why is your face as red as his hair?"

"Let's just settle into the room." I stormed in embarrassed.

I heard him giggle behind me.

The room was wonderful. It had a window facing the courtyard, and there was actually running water. I have never seen a bathroom with the new plumbing that people started to add to their houses. It's amazing how inventions help people when a war is over. When I took a hot bath, I didn't have to fill the tub using a bucket or get a fire going to heat it up. Had I known about all of this, I wouldn't have built a house outside of a small town.

After the bath, I was sent to meet with Zuko and Toph. Hiro had a babysitter, but he really wanted to see Zuko.

I was glad to see Toph though. She hadn't changed at all, but maybe had gained a few pounds. It had been four years and she had lots to talk about after the meeting. Zuko on the other hand was different. I don't know what these light haired men had done to change him, but he wasn't the Zuko that led an army to defeat his father. He too, had no top knot, but short cropped hair styled after Cyrus'.

"Katara, I'm glad you came." Zuko said standing from his seat in his office. Toph sat next to him, picking at her fingernails.

"It's good to see you too. Who's Leo-"

"I get to that in a moment. I requested that you come so we can talk about Kyoshi Island. They still refuse to join us and are threatening to ignore us. I need to know why, and since you have good connections to the island, I thought you could help."

Yeah, Toph straightened him out.

"Zuko, everything I've heard about Kyoshi doesn't sound like they refuse to join the Kingdom. Suki-"

"She's a liar, and I want her in prison for conspiring against this Kingdom." Zuko yelled out. Toph said nothing.

"A liar? Zuko, the Kyoshi warriors have been nothing but loyal, even if their home doesn't want to be part of this Kingdom."

I knew that he was going to explode with anger. I must have missed something since the Kingdom was formed.

"Kyoshi Island has joined with all those islands south of us. I know they're planning something."

"Planning what? Most of those islands don't have people on them. And what's with these men? Ba Sing Se doesn't seem like the city it used to be. Maybe they're the problem you're looking for. What deal have they made with you anyways?" I yelled.

Zuko was going to say something, but Toph interrupted, "Katara, these men are helping us with the country. They've given us new technology, fixed our roads and towns; they've even helped lower our crime rate. And I know they're not cheating us to get something."

I frowned. I've never liked being the middle man, and Suki has never been a liar since I've known her. Maybe Toph has changed.

We continued to argue for another hour. I won the arguement, and then stormed out of the office, pissed as always when dealing with Zuko. Zuko yelled that he needed to talk with me later about something different. I hate him, and always will.

Toph and I had a snack in the courtyard five minutes later. Neither of us brought up Kyoshi Island or Suki.

"Have I ever told you I hate kids?" Toph randomly asked.

"No you haven't. Are you and Zuko having problems?" I joked.

"No. There's a rug-rat around here somewhere. He's a good boy but I will never have another."

"What's Zuko think about that?"

Toph laughed, "I said if he wants more, then he can find as many women as he likes."

I paused, not knowing what to think.

"I thought you two loved each other?"

"We do, and every night. I just don't like carrying a kid for nine months then be in lots of pain to get it out."

I didn't say anything after that. It was just too weird to think about. Staring at the courtyard was more, well, interesting.

"How's Hiro?" Toph spoke after two minutes of nothing.

"Just like Sokka. He talks all day, always want to play with the boomerang or my sword, or he just eats all day long. I tried to get him to play a board game with me, but that didn't work."

"Sounds like a handful." Toph laughed.

We talked for a while, before she stood up, and said that she had some work to do. She didn't say what Zuko wanted when I asked her. She just smiled. Butterflies were eating me when she smiled. Something didn't feel right.

I got up to go to my room, but Cyrus stopped me first.

"I hear that you are the last waterbender from the poles. Is it true?" he asked. His green eyes sparkled with the sun.

"Y-Yes I am." I stuttered. I haven't felt this way since Aang last kissed me. Damn it all.

"I've been to the Northern Tribe, after the war, and the city was still standing. It was in some ruins, but it was- what's the word?" he paused, trying to think of the word. I wish he didn't bring up the Tribes.

"Beautiful, that's the word I was looking for. Not because it was in ruins, but the details in the buildings." He finished.

"I haven't been there for nine years." I started, "I haven't actually seen what had happened there, only heard about it."

"Were you angry?" sympathy seemed to fill his words.

"Angry doesn't describe it enough. I've had to learn to change from being a tribeswoman to being someone who lives in this new country." I said, looking to grab my mother's necklace, but it wasn't there, "Why do you want to know anyways?"

"Just curious. I never knew there was more land on this world. I thought our nation was the only one other than the Northern Tribe."

"Shocked us both." I laughed, "Except I knew about the other tribe."

"You're Southern Tribe then. Did it have a city like the North?"

I frowned again, hoping to not have to give a life story, "At one time. I never saw it though."

We sat there, just looking at the trees. It was awkward sitting next to someone I barely know. Then something occurred to me that I just had to ask.

"Are the people in your country benders?"

He smiled, "We used to, I think, at one point in history. But much like your people now, we went away from bending rocks and air and started to use swords and now the new cannons. I think that we were airbenders when we did bend. Our boats had small sails back then, but I'm not a historian so I don't know."

Airbenders, what's the chance of that?

"This reincarnated person, the-a Avatar I think the word is, what's he like?" Cyrus asked.

We continued our conversation for another few hours. He was hard to understand at times, but I got through the speech barrier after an hour. I think when Zuko's messenger interrupted us, I was already in love with him.

**Be patient with the light-hair men please. And no flaming about how they're not included in the Avatar world. I know that. and they help with my plot.**


	3. A Little Help From My Friends, Possibly

**I don't own Avatar. **

When I finally found where Zuko was meeting me, I realized that it wasn't his office. It was like a guest's room. The butterflies were now pounding at my throat, now realizing what Toph's smile had meant.

"Zuko, what's going on?" I looked at him; my hand was close to my water pouch.

"Just hear me out first." He said, putting his arms up showing that he wasn't planning on hurting me, "I'm sorry about what I said about Kyoshi Island and Suki. When you said that they'd had always been loyal to me, I thought about it and you were right. When Gaoling was revolting, they came to help. I've just been focusing on uniting the world that they pissed me off. The Avatar hasn't been around here for a while as well. He said he was going to help me with it, but he and Ty Lee took off again."

I removed my hand from the pouch. Finally I got what I'd been looking for from Zuko, a little respect or so I thought.

"Now, Toph told you about our little situation, and I hope you hear me out." He stepped forward until I backed into the door. His hands were on my shoulders with a firm grip.

"Zuko if what she told me was true, I want nothing of it." His face was closer.

"But Hiro and the swamp men aren't enough. I thought-"

"Zuko, I said I want nothing of it."

He backed off, "Then you're expecting to be a spinster forever then?"

I paused, insulted from the term he used, "What do you mean from that?"

"When women past the age of twenty-one in the Fire Nation, they're not expected to marry ever. I thought you were the family type with raising Hiro and all. You practically raised your brother and then the Avatar."

I was pissed. He just used the Kyoshi topic to trick me. The bastard.

"I'm leaving."

"Wait!"

"Piss off Zuko. This is not the Fire Nation. Have all the women you want, but you're not getting me."

I could hear Zuko curse when I slammed the door. Oh that man pisses me off. And what's worst was that Toph was included in the plan. Why couldn't I have seen this? Every clue was there.

When I got back to my room, Hiro was playing with the Royal family's children. It was interesting because Hiro was 'teaching' them to be soldiers. Again Sokka would have been happy with him.

Sokka. Suki mentioned him. Why didn't she or Nattawan say he was alive before the end of the war? Hell, Suki must have known that he wasn't killed. She was there.

I was in my room when I heard a knock.

"Aunt Katara, why are you mad?"

Hiro cheered me up a bit. He talked about how they when to the practice fields, they could let all their bending out. I never mentioned what had happened. He didn't need to know what happened.

In four years, I did not know my friends anymore. It's like I was a slave again and I was just being used, but it hurt more. I wasn't Toph's friend; I was only someone she knew like meeting your pen pal for the first time, and realizing that you don't actually know them. Only four years.

The next week, I was invited to a lunch with Leonard, Zuko and Toph as a third party, to the outside of the city. I didn't look at Zuko once. Leonard talked about a trade deal that his lord wanted to make; small hand-held cannons for natural resources. Zuko questioned him as to why he would need such weapons if there were only two nations in the world. Leonard said that bending was old fashion and that it divided the people into groups.

"If you want peace between your firebenders and earthbenders, then don't train them to, or let them bend. Tell them it is forbidden and remind them of the war that killed millions of people." He added.

I shook my head.

"Yes Ms. Katara, do you have something to add?" he looked at me with those blue eyes that made the sky look darker.

"Bending has been part of who we are. How can someone expect people to change because their different from another?" I was going to rattle his bones with this.

"Bending makes your people look like savages." Leonard started, "Those who can bend are stronger than those who can't. If everyone is the same, then there's a balance. Both your King and Queen are benders. What stops them from killing the non-benders like those on Kyoshi Island? "

"The Avatar prevents the unbalance."

"Where is this Avatar then? He's not here is he? Even he has given up on helping benders and non-benders." Leonard looked at me, knowing that I lost the argument.

He turned to Zuko, "How can you expect the Avatar to prevent another war when he's not here? Come; let me show you an experiment."

Leonard stood up and walked a good ten feet, "I have with me a prisoner. He says that he's one of the best firebenders around. My hand-cannon here will beat his bending. Watch. Lu Fung, attack me with your best and quickest move."

The bender started his technique. It was quick and would cause lots of pain to one that was hit with it All of the sudden, a sharp loud bang, and lots of smoke came from the cannon as the bender fell dead. Flashbacks from the battle in the swamp poured into my head. The noise, the blood; it all bothered me. Toph didn't expect the noise from it. She practically fell out of her seat from the surprise. I could see that what Leonard was proposing, Toph didn't like either.

Zuko just rubbed his chin, thinking of what he just saw.

"See. I was not harmed from his attack, and neither would your enforcers if they used them instead of bending. It could save many lives."

A mintue pasted after the question before Zuko spoke. It was not the answer I hoped for.

"How soon can my Dai Li get the training on these?"

"Several days if you like." Leonard smiled, "And as a gift from my lord for choosing wisely, a hand-cannon with ivory from an elephant-whale."

I frowned. Tears almost fell from knowing what was about to happen; our history was going to be forgotten just like the light-hair men's.

Hiro was puzzled when I stormed in. He didn't understand what happened, and when he asked, I snapped at him. I later apologized to him, knowing that he was just being the boy he's always been.

Then Toph knocked on the door. I could tell it was her, because she was loud and calling me my old nickname.

"Sugar Queen, can we talk for a moment."

I opened the door, not really knowing what she was going to say. Hiro went into his small room, knowing that the conversation wasn't going to be interesting.

"I'm sorry about Leonard and Zuko. These cannons scared me too. I wasn't expecting it to be loud like that." She said, with a frown on her face

"Cannons don't even give people a chance to fight back. You even know what they can do even if you can't see was they can do to people." I said softly, with tears in my eyes, "We're now losing something that has been in our cultures forever, and it will be gone. I can now understand why Suki hasn't allowed Kyoshi to join with this Kingdom since these men came. They saw a change that affects everyone. Not that change isn't good, but completely changing the way people think and act; Toph it'll start a civil war. Benders and non-benders will fight, and if Aang isn't here to help, then it will last forever. Can't you stop Zuko, or at least talk some sense into him?"

I looked up at her. Toph wasn't smiling either.

"It will be hard. I'll talk to him about it." she started to leave but stopped to say something, "And about earlier. I should have known that you wouldn't do that. I'm extremely sorry about it and I'm sorry about the past few weeks. I treated you like I do to dirt instead of my best friend."

"It's fine." I softly said. I was going to give her a hug like when we normally had fights or disagreements, but she interrupted.

"You don't have to hug me. Hugging was wonderful nine years ago." she had the biggest grin on her face.

We both laughed.

**I really, really want to know what everyone thinks. Should I just stop writing a sequel or should I continue. Please let me know. Having only one review hurts. Thanks for the review, but I want to know what you, the reader, thinks. Please.**


	4. Snowball Fights

**Thanks for reviewing. I don't own Avatar.**

That evening, I took Hiro out into the city. Zuko, without telling me, give Hiro some silver pieces as a gift. All the boy wanted to do, was find some toys that he'd seen other children with. We walked around the entire city looking for it.

The weather was perfect for a long walk anyways. It wasn't as hot as it was at noon, and there were no bugs biting our necks.

We stopped at a teashop for something quick to eat. We ordered and Hiro wanted to show me something he'd been practicing. When the tea came, he tried to bend the tea out of the kettle. I clapped for him when he got it into our cups and not into someone's lap; most of the time it was mine.

"That's a lot better than last time." I said.

He had a big grin, "Yeah because last time it was all over your shirt. You almost cried like a baby."

"It was hot, and I didn't cry like a baby." I defended myself.

He giggled, which caused me to laugh.

After our tea, the walk changed quickly. Hiro picked up that someone was following us. When I pulled Hiro into an alley, I peeked around to watch for someone. The night sky hid the person's features, but I could tell that it was a man. He was, like everyone else, taller than me.

"Hiro, can you get back to the palace without him catching you?" I asked in a whisper.

He nodded, taking out his boomerang and keeping it in his nervous hand. He took off down the alley, attempting to look like he was sneaking.

I, though, had bigger things to do. I didn't have my water pouch with me, and no one carries a weapon anymore so I didn't bother bringing the sword. I had to lose him the old fashion way, running. I hoped that he wasn't faster than me, because I took down the street looking for a heavy populated area in the city. Knowing my luck, I was going to end up in a dead end. Sure enough, here was my dead end.

"Damn the family luck." I said to myself.

The man was right behind me too.

"Hold on a second." The man said.

I looked for the closest object to use as weapon. Unfornunately for me, there was only a barrel. Never mind, it was full with water. Thank you family luck. I pulled the water around me, ready to defend myself. Seeing that I was a bender, the man then stopped and begged.

"Sorry for following you. I don't want any trouble." He backed off a bit, "I was just looking for Hiro and you."

He was the visitor that Suki wrote about, but I was actually expecting my brother and not this guy, but I still couldn't tell who he was.

I choose to not speak and hear out what he wanted, or at least until he decided to step closer. I froze the ground he was going to continue to step on. When he fell he let out an 'umph.' He stood up, but hit his head on a drain from a house.

"Sokka?" the water circled around me and back into the barrel.

"Who else would come looking for you, Anzeng?" he tried to joke.

"Why didn't you just say so?"

"You ran away from me before I could say something." He then lit a match.

There was proof of a burn left on his face from whatever happened. He shaved his hair off completely and no longer had the big beard. He almost looked like Aang, except for the scar.

"Can you blame me? I didn't even recognize you."

"Sorry." He seemed like nothing had happened, until he asked about Hiro. He asked so violently. I wasn't feeling safe at the time.

"He returned to the palace. Don't even think about going there. Suki wrote about this poppy seed addiction you have."

"That's not really her or your business to care about. I want him back."

I stood there; looking at the eyes I had grown up, played game in the snow, and trusted with. They were the same eyes, but something made them look angry; most likely it was the drug from the seeds.

"Sokka, you're not yourself."

"Of course not. I have as many burns and scars on my head as you have fingers left on your hand. Nothing else works to cease the pain." He growled looking at my hands for anything.

I looked at my left index finger just as a reaction to what he said. I then made a fist, hiding the short finger.

He continued, "I have headaches still from that day. I take a drug to get rid of the pain, but then I'm tired all the time. This other drug keeps me awake, but I'm angry."

Sokka emphasized 'angry.'

"Can we at least talk about Hiro?" he asked after settling down.

"Yes, we can talk about him, but not in an alley please. I feel cornered."

We walked to a fountain surrounded by lanterns and sat down next to each other, both leaning back on the fountain.

"I don't understand how you got out alive?" I asked.

He smiled, "I'm just lucky. No, actually Suki helped deflect his attack so instead of hitting me square in the head, it hit the ground beside my head."

"Suki wrote that she found you in a cave."

"Smoke from the drug says with me better than if I was standing in a field. I didn't live in a cave for four years. And if you're next question is about why I'm angry, I've already told you. It's the damn pain relievers."

I stopped trying to ask that question just as he reminded me.

"Now it's my turn to ask the questions." He started, "What happened to your hand?"

"It's a long story." I started.

When I finished, he asked something I never thought of,"Why didn't you attach the tip to your finger? The bone might have healed."

"I never really thought of that, because at the time, I was still in shock from having one less finger and having explodsions around me."

I updated him about Hiro. Sokka seemed like a weight just came off of his back. When he lit of his smokes, he completely relaxed.

"Want some? You seem stressed."

"No thanks." I said, backing off a bit.

"It only relaxes you. Everyone on Kyoshi uses it to wash the stress of life away."

"Again I have to decline. I could use some wine though."

I got up, but Sokka had other plans, "Do you trust me enough?"

"Sure."

"Remember our bet from fourteen years ago?"

"Yeah. What's you're point?" I raised an eyebrow, questioning his motives.

"You're the last waterbender from the poles. Can you make snow from this fountain?"

"Yeah."

The next five minutes, he was throwing snowballs at me. I was shocked, because at one moment he was pissed at me and the world, then wanted to toss snow at me while people eyed us. I have to admit that it was fun, and I forgot everything that he talked about, but having people watch us goof around like we were kids was odd. A brief memory came back from fourteen years ago.

_"I bet you couldn't bet me in a snowball fight."_

_"I bet I can."_

_"But you can't even magically 'bend' the water or snow properly."_

_"Watch me try."_

_"Magic. See, I win. You can't beat me in a snowball fight even if you were the last waterbender in the two poles."_

I don't really remember the rest of the night from that point. Hiro said I smelled like wine and smoke when I asked him about last night. I think that I did try some of whatever Sokka had because I didn't have a hang over, but a desire to want something else other than the wine. Sokka was not in my room and Hiro said he slept outside. I thought I would like to clearly state that, and that I felt like an idiot the rest of the day for ignoring Hiro after coming home.

I was having breakfast with Toph when Zuko entered the hall. He and Sokka were either catching up or arguing quietly, when Hiro walked in and ran to Sokka. It was wonderful watching them catch up and play around when Sokka was sober, but it also hurt. Hiro was like my own, and seeing that Sokka was mixing things to help with his pain, meant that Hiro might not see the true Sokka.

"I heard you smoked the old man's drug last night." Zuko said walking over to me.

"Did Sokka tell you? " he was asking for it.

"Nope, you just did." Zuko laughed at me.

"Damn it." I cursed, "That's what I smoked?"

"Yeah and it's kind of addictive."

Toph looked puzzled.

I put my head in my hands, ashamed of what Azula had told me about it. Yeah Azula of all people. That's another story I'm keeping to the grave.


	5. Cyrus

**Thanks for the reviews guys. This chapter is really short because it was supposed to be in chapter4, but it didn't seem to fit. I don't own Avatar.**

A little after noon, I finally found the library to this place. I needed a break from everything. The library was quiet; there were no drugs, and certainly no Zuko to bother me about Kyoshi. There were many flights of stairs leading to just about everywhere with bookselves filled like a box of sardines. I could easily get lost here and that's what I wanted. I found a book to enjoy, because it was on Water Tribe tales. I remembered most of these from my mother telling to me when we were repairing a cloak for Sokka. He had ripped it from playing too rough with the penguins.

"Good day Ms. Katara." I was interrupted from my reading. It was Cyrus.

"Hello Cyrus."

"I didn't know you liked to read."

"I don't read very often." I laid the book down on my lap.

"I'd give you one of our books because I've read them all, but none of them are translated. And I can't read your language because of the figures. Speaking it is easier than reading it." He laughed.

I smiled, "I can try to teach you to read our language if you like?"

"You would? I mean- thank you for the offer, but Leonard is so, um, strict with what we can do here. I haven't had a chance to travel the city yet. The library is the only place where I can read letters from my sister. No one can find me here." He said.

I leaned forward and motioned him to sit in the seat across from me. We talked for a while before he had to leave. Zuko's Dai Li were getting their cannons today, and he had to help train them. Knowingly or not, Zuko loved taking the fun out of life.

The next week though, Cyrus and I had a chance to learn more about each other's country and language. When Cyrus said that their language was harsh sounded, he wasn't lying. It seemed like they had something stuck on thier tongue when they spoke. I could stop myself from giggling when he read his letters in his language.

Then Leonard found us both laughing and giggling like a bunch of school girls. He wasn't pleased.

"Cyrus, que faites-vous avec ces sauvages?" he yelled in his native language.

"Mon monsieur d'excuses." he turned to me, "Sorry Katara, I must leave." Cyrus stood up and left.

I was angry, but that anger then turned to Zuko when he asked me to go to Kyoshi Island as an ambassador. Again I declined, and he yelled saying that he was my King and I should do as I'm told. I bowed, like a slave would to their master to show him a point. He stormed off, but not until he reminded me that all bending was illegal. At that moment, something hit me about the light-haired men that I've never thought before.


	6. Warnings From the Past

**Sorry about the wait. Computer change and everything. I own Avatar, not!**

I came running into Toph's room with this thought of Zuko being tricked. She was playing with her son.

"Toph, I think Leonard is planning to control Zuko." I was out of breath.

"Really, like I never thought of that." Toph sarcastically commented.

"What, you knew?"

"Of course. Why do you think you're here? It wasn't actually for Kyoshi. I solved that small problem with Suki. I just needed someone that Leonard didn't know and that Zuko wouldn't trust. You do fit the description very well." Toph stood as a servant took her son out of the room.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you have a way of showing that you know something." Sokka came in, holding something in his hand.

"I do not."

Sokka gave me a look, "Fine, I guess I do. Who else is in the 'group' here?"

"Suki and Aang. He's currently looking for proof of any involvement of the Gaul's with the Northern Tribe." Toph said with a smirk.

" Gauls?"

"The light-haired men." She answered, "Aang thinks that the whole cannon thing goes back to the Northern Tribe."

This perked my interest.

"How so?"

Sokka answered, "The Gauls first went to the Northern Water Tribe only days after our failed attack on the Fire Nation, to trade the cannons or 'pistolets' in their language. When Arnook refused, they left and found a fleet of the Fire Nation's heading towards the North Pole. The late Fire Lord traded with them and used the Gauls to attack the Northern Tribe. Well, now we know that they are out of resources in their country and ours has plenty because we don't rely on them as much."

"So in short they are responsible for killing the Northern Water Tribe and not Azula?" I wasn't completely getting what he was saying.

"Eh, sort of. Azula wasn't a part of it so far as we now know. We're starting to think that Hai-daki only did half of it. We should be receiving something from Aang soon. For the mean time, we need someone to go to Gaul and look for any sign of an army forming to come here." Sokka finished, "Oh Toph, Aang's letter is actually in my hand."

"Cool. Katara shut the door and make sure no one is out there."

I nodded, and walked over. I turned to speak, but Toph was already laughing.

"I can't believe you fell for that."

"I can't believe I did too." I mumbled.

Toph asked Sokka to read the letter. He started after laughing.

"Dear Toph, I have found proof of the cannons being here in the Northern Tribe. I think that they had some part in the mass killings for how the graves were dug. From what Sokka tells me about how the Gauls use the weapons, it makes sense that firebending was not what killed them. I'll explain a bit more later when I come back to Ba Sing Sei. I also found left over documents from Hai-daki and a book in the Gaul language. It says nothing about how they killed them but that Azula ordered him to not kill the Northern Tribe. You'll have to ask Katara if Azula left to go to the Northern Tribe at all because Hai-daki complains about her a lot. I'll be in Ba Sing Sei soon, Aang."

They both looked at me, and I knew what was going to be asked.

"Azula did leave a few times for the Northern Tribe. When she came back, she was always angry but not Azula angry, like I'm-going-to-kill-him angry." I responded almost in a whisper, "But Azula never seemed the type to stop someone from killing anybody."

"Actually, I can see her getting angry with Hai-daki. I think she started getting scared about what would happen to her if she was ever captured. She'd get the blame and die for the crime, which did happen." Toph said, "That could be the reason, and because Hai-daki had cannons, she couldn't stop him. Katara, how good is your Gaul?"

"Like speaking it?"

"Yeah."

"It's getting better. Cyrus is a good teacher, but I'm not completely fluent yet." I said.

"Good, because I want you to go to Gaul and poke around. And if you could get Cyrus to talk a bit about the Northern Tribe."

"Sure, but I need a way to find the place and transportation."

"Aang is coming soon. He can get you there."

"Good. How long have you been on to this plan though?"

"After the war they came. They were easy to read." Toph smiled.

I nodded, and then left to my Gaul lesson. I could hear them continue to talk about Aang's findings and I knew that they weren't giving me every detail.

"Et à notre roi, peut Dieu le bénir avec la chance qui protégera notre pays de la Gaulle."

"You're pronunciation is getting better Katara. Soon you'll sound like you were born there." Cyrus gave me a grin.

"I have been practicing for a few months now. What's the passage you gave me to read?"

"It's the pledge to our King, God and country. All members of the military and King's Council say it in the morning before we start out breakfast. Leonard says it every morning, because of his stature with the King." He was staring into my eyes when he finished speaking, but recollected himself, "It's good to know if you ever stay in the palace."

I smiled, and then turned to look at the passage again before being interrupted by an orderly from Toph.

"Miss Katara, the Queen would like to see you."

"Tell her I'm on my way." I turned to Cyrus and bowed to him. He did the same, and I started towards where I was to meet Toph.

"Pomme de reinette et pomme d'api. Tapis, tapis rouge,"

"What are you singing?" Toph asked when I finally walked in.

"Sorry, I just got something stuck in my head." I quickly responded, "You wanted me?"

"Yeah, Aang's here." She pointed towards the next room.

He stood there with the same large smile as he always had, but the beard made him look older. I ran over to give him the first hug in four years. He smelled like he needed a bath though.

"I brought you something, well actually it was for Toph to have translated, but she told me that you were better at the language the she was." He said.

"The book from your letter."

"Yeah, I hope you can translate it." He teased.

"Of course, I'll work on it as soon as I can."

"And I also found this." Aang was serious about the letter he handed me.

"What is it?" I was afraid to find out what it was.

"It's a letter that was supposed to be mail to you nine years ago from Azula. I didn't read it." He frowned.

"Oh, I wonder why I never got it."

I opened it up to read it.

_To the waterbending slave,_

_We are not friends, but you somehow have earned my respect and I will not be able to tell you this in person if the war ever ends, so I'll give you the truth about the Northern Tribe genocide. At this time the peasants at the Northern Tribe are all dead. It may be hard to believe, but it was not my doing. I'm too __honorable to actually order or think about it, but you may think what you may. Knowing that this Gaul book will be found here in the North, when Zuzu actually looks up there for explanations, I put it in a more obvious place so it wouldn't be hard for him to find. _

_This book contains everything that happened here from Commander Hai-daki's role to what Gaul did what. It is some importance to these lesser men so do not let it fall into their hands__ if you care about life as much as I did the Fire Nation__ Azula._

"What's the letter say." Toph asked.

I looked up at Toph and then at Aang, "Azula predicted all of this."

**I don't actually speak French so if there's grammar mistakes, let me know and I'll fix them. German didn't seem to fit Leonard or Cyrus. Review please.**


	7. Circles

Aang, Toph and I stood there for a while before Aang spoke up.

"We have to give her some credit. She saw it way before any of us, although I doubt she would have objected to it."

Sokka barged in, "What I miss?"

I gave him the letter.

"What was she, some oracle or something?"

"She was just really good at reading people, that's all." I answered.

"What do we do now?" Aang asked.

"Katara has to translate the book as best she can. If she finds anything to bring up to Zuko about getting rid of these men and he agrees, then we have another war. If he dislikes it and is already too involved with the Gauls, then we will all have trials to fight. If there's nothing, someone has to go to Gaul and find something." Toph said.

"Trials? What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Knowing Zuko, treason is the most likely charge you'll get. Sokka and Aang will get kicked out of the nation for not being citizens, and I will most likely get disowned and treason." Toph answered. She almost seemed like she was joking.

"That's pleasant." I said.

"If Katara has to go to Gaul, then I'll join her." Aang offered, "She'll need backup in case of anything going wrong."

"I was invited by Zuko and Leonard for dinner, so I'm going to join them." Sokka said. Toph also was going.

We all decided to meet again in about a week. Ty Lee and Suki were going to join us at that time. It was decided though that we could not meet in Ba Sing Sei. Toph would set up some excuse to take a vacation, and then we'd meet her at the vacation spot.

I decided to start reading the book from Aang. The book had many words I had no clue on what they meant. Although I couldn't let Cyrus know about the book, I tried to get words translated from him.

Since the last time we met, Aang traveled around the former Earth Kingdom enjoying his favorite places with Ty Lee. They had three sons in that time, which pretty much beats anything that I've done. He also went to the Southern Water Tribe to look for anyone just in case, but he never found anyone or the village.

"What are you reading?" Cyrus asked me in Gaul.

I quickly hid the book, "Just one of my books."

"No, it has to be one of my books. The cover was too colorful to be one of yours."

I didn't know how to get out of this one. He was going find out what I was doing and all of Aang's work would just sink into the ocean.

"It's not one of your books."

He stepped closer, "Can I look at it?"

"NO, I mean, it's private."

"Like the journal you've been writing in?"

"Th-this is the journal, and you can't look."

"Katara, you're so easy to read. I know about the book, and the Queen's plan about Leonard."

I was shocked, no stunned, wait I was both shocked and stunned. I didn't know how to react or what to say.

"You knew?"

"Oui."

"And you didn't tell anyone?"

"Oui, you would have been thrown in a jail cell already. That book is wanted by my King." He paused, "Katara, I've been meaning to tell you something that I would even risk ending my career as a sea captain to go through with. These past six months we've gotten to know each other very well. I had to do some research, but I made this, for you." Cyrus at this time was at an arm's reach, and in his hand was a necklace from the same material that any tribesmen would have made it from, "Katara, I haven't ask your brother for permission yet, but would you marry me?"

I was speechless. Nothing that I was told or thought about who'd I'd marry prepared me for this. The fortuneteller said I'd marry some powerful bender. Time seemed to stop. My mind seemed to travel to the moon and back before I answered.

"Of course." I responded.

"But who says 'of course' when they get proposed to?" I was in Toph's room the next day talking with her sitting on a sofa, which by the way was very plushy. I hadn't mentioned anything about the book or Cyrus knowing about the book.

"I think you're the only one." She was picking her nose on the opposite side of the room.

I slapped my forehead, "Maybe I was never meant to be in love."

"Sure, whatever."

"Are you listening to me, Toph?"

"Yep, whatever you say so."

"Sokka likes eating people." I was just messing with her.

"Good for you."

"Cyrus knows about the book." My smirk then turned into a frown. The nose-picking stopped

"Are you the world's biggest dumbass?"

Shit, she must have been paying attention at that moment.

"Before he proposed, he told me he knew about it." I frowned.

"Yeah well now I will have to kill him." She said, "Just kidding but seriously, we now have to watch him. You need to be with him every single moment you can."

"Even _at_ night?"

"Yep. This is a different age Katara. It's not looked down upon anymore."

I'm sure I didn't even have a particular look to my face at that time. It was plain, no emotions at all.

"Katara?"

Blank mind, with no thoughts.

"Hey Katara, I think you dropped something."

"What?" I snapped out of the nothingness.

"You dropped something."

I looked down, "His necklace. I should probably put it on."

"And the Moon Spirit just died." Toph said.

"I'd be careful where you say that. Sokka will get angry."

"Oh, I'm so terrified. Sokka's going to be angry."

"I have to go. I was going to talk with Sokka about this before dinner."

"Hey Katara, I am glad for you. Zuko and I were placing bets on when you'd get married." She broke up in laughter.

"Thanks, I guess." I said sourly.

I left the room and headed towards the courtyard. Winter wasn't too far away, for I had to grab a jacket. Cyrus walked up to me with the book.

"Here are all the things you need to get rid of Leonard. It's all in there, the camp building and the actual killing of the benders, even the Fire Princess being there to stop Leonard from doing it." He said handing me the book. There were notes in the margins. He sounded sad though.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"Like I said before, I'd end my career as a ship captain for you. I sent a letter to the King about Leonard. He is to be arrested and sent home for killing the Northern Water Tribe."

"Thank you."

"But hold on, I have to go too, because I was there and I wrote this book and they want me as a witness. The carrier birds here are much faster than sailing, so I got word of it today."

"You wrote the book?"

"That's how I knew it wasn't yours or part of my collection. I made it special to it would be noticed. I told the Fire Princess what Leonard's thoughts were. She wrote the letter because she was afraid of what Leonard could do to her country, but I think she also knew her fate when Leonard killed the tribesmen. She would get the blame for it and her brother would kill her for Leonard's actions."

"So Azula was looking out for us then."

"Hell no. She scarred the shit out of me with her radical ideas. That bitch was too dedicated to winning the war."

We both cracked up laughing.

"Vous traître. Je devrais vous avoir tué quand vous avez commencé à flirter avec le sauvage."

"Leonard, Le roi veut votre arrestation. Vous devriez abandonner."

Everything went quickly. They both drew out their hand-cannons at each other, and both rang out with bangs. They were both on the ground. Zuko's Dai Li came running out, with Toph following. I think they planned to get Leonard here.

"Cyrus?" I stood over him looking for any wounds.

"I'm fine; I just fell to the ground."

I laughed out of pure joy that he wasn't hurt, but neither was Leonard. He pulled another hand-cannon at Toph and fired. Cyrus pulled me down. The Dai Li fired at Leonard, many of them hitting the Gaul. Neither would get back up.


End file.
